RUNX2 and diabetes mellitus: On the other hand, diabetes-enhanced inflammation and hyperglycemia could induce apoptosis of mature osteoblasts and promote adipogenesis from mesenchymal stem cells, resulting in reduced osteoblast formation and differentiation, the underlying molecular mechanisms of which might be related to the decreased runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx-2) and activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) (10, 15).